Techniques for determining distance between radiating objects in multipath wireless power delivery environments
First Claim
1. A method for calculating a distance between radiating objects in a multipath wireless power delivery environment, the method comprising:
- calibrating the multipath wireless power delivery environment to quantify environmental effects of the multipath environment on signals received by the radiating objects by determining multipath loss functions that collectively define the multipath environment,wherein the environmental effects increase or decrease power levels of the signals received by the radiating objects based on reflective or absorptive objects or surfaces within the multipath environment;
receiving, by one or more antennas of a first of the radiating objects, a first signal transmitted by one or more antennas of a second of the radiating objects;
measuring, by a control system of the first of the radiating objects, a received power level of the first signal;
processing the quantified environmental effects of the multipath environment to determine a particular effect of the multipath environment on the received power level of the first signal; and
calculating, by the control system of the first of the radiating objects using a modified Friis equation, a first distance between the first of the radiating objects and the second of the radiating objects based, at least in part, on the particular effect of the multipath environment on a received power level of the first signal, wherein a transmitted power level of the first signal, a gain value of the one or more antennas of the first radiating object, and a gain value of the one or more antennas of the second radiating object are known.
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Abstract
Techniques are described herein for determining the distance from, to or between radiating objects in a multipath environment. For example, embodiments of the present disclosure describe techniques for determining the distance between an antenna array system (or wireless charger) and a wireless power receiver in a multipath wireless power delivery environment. Calibration techniques are disclosed that account for and/or otherwise quantify the multipath effects of the wireless power delivery environment. In some embodiment, the quantified multipath effects modify the Friis transmission equation, thereby facilitating the distance determination in multipath environments.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for calculating a distance between radiating objects in a multipath wireless power delivery environment, the method comprising:
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calibrating the multipath wireless power delivery environment to quantify environmental effects of the multipath environment on signals received by the radiating objects by determining multipath loss functions that collectively define the multipath environment, wherein the environmental effects increase or decrease power levels of the signals received by the radiating objects based on reflective or absorptive objects or surfaces within the multipath environment; receiving, by one or more antennas of a first of the radiating objects, a first signal transmitted by one or more antennas of a second of the radiating objects; measuring, by a control system of the first of the radiating objects, a received power level of the first signal; processing the quantified environmental effects of the multipath environment to determine a particular effect of the multipath environment on the received power level of the first signal; and calculating, by the control system of the first of the radiating objects using a modified Friis equation, a first distance between the first of the radiating objects and the second of the radiating objects based, at least in part, on the particular effect of the multipath environment on a received power level of the first signal, wherein a transmitted power level of the first signal, a gain value of the one or more antennas of the first radiating object, and a gain value of the one or more antennas of the second radiating object are known. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A radiating object comprising:
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one or more antennas; control circuitry operatively coupled to the one or more antennas, wherein the control circuitry is configured to; calibrate a multipath wireless power delivery environment to quantify environmental effects on signals received by radiating objects therein by determining multipath loss functions that collectively define the multipath environment; measure a signal strength of a first signal received by the one or more antennas, wherein the first signal is transmitted by one or more antennas of a second radiating objects; process environmental effects of the multipath wireless power delivery environment to identify a particular effect of the multipath environment on the signal strength of the first signal, wherein the environmental effects of the multipath environment on signals received by radiating objects within the environment are quantified using a calibration technique; and calculate a first distance between the radiating object and the second radiating object based, at least in part, on the particular effect of the multipath environment on received power level of the first signal. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A radiating object comprising:
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calibration means for calibrating a multipath wireless power delivery environment to quantify environmental effects on signals received by radiating objects therein, wherein the calibrating includes determining multipath loss functions that collectively define the multipath environment; receiver means for receiving signals from another radiating object in a wireless power delivery environment; measurement means for measuring a signal strength of a first signal received by the one or more adaptively-phased radio frequency antennas, wherein the first signal is transmitted by one or more antennas of the second radiating objects; processing means for; processing the environmental effects of the multipath wireless power delivery environment to identify a particular effect of the multipath environment on the signal strength of the first signal, and calculating a first distance between the radiating object and the second radiating object based, at least in part, on the particular effect of the multipath environment on received power level of the first signal.
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20. A method for calculating a distance between radiating objects in a multipath wireless power delivery environment, the method comprising:
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calibrating the multipath wireless power delivery environment to quantify environmental effects of the multipath environment on signals received by the radiating objects by determining one or more multipath loss functions that collectively define the multipath environment, wherein the one or more multipath loss functions comprise separable functions of the multipath environment and distance; receiving, by one or more antennas of a first radiating object of the radiating objects, a first signal transmitted by one or more antennas of a second radiating object of the radiating objects; measuring a received power level of the first signal; processing the quantified environmental effects of the multipath environment to determine a particular effect of the multipath environment on the received power level of the first signal; and calculating a first distance between the first radiating objects and the second radiating objects based, at least in part, on the particular effect of the multipath environment on a received power level of the first signal. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification